His Client (His Client, #1) in Q&A with Erastes

Jan 31, 2011 Erastes rated it really liked it

Shelves: gay-historical

I like Ava March’s work. I can’t help it. I don’t know her, and I don’t like BDSM as a rule, but there’s something about March’s writing of the subject that gets under my skin and makes it tingle.

This is no exception, and I can say hand on heart that if you liked her other work, you won’t be disappointed with this.

It’s a tart-with-a-heart story. Jasper is a whore of ten years, a man who already has enough money to set himself up in a decent house and retire, but he hasn’t for one simple reason, I like Ava March’s work. I can’t help it. I don’t know her, and I don’t like BDSM as a rule, but there’s something about March’s writing of the subject that gets under my skin and makes it tingle.

This is no exception, and I can say hand on heart that if you liked her other work, you won’t be disappointed with this.

It’s a tart-with-a-heart story. Jasper is a whore of ten years, a man who already has enough money to set himself up in a decent house and retire, but he hasn’t for one simple reason, Nathaniel, a regular client.

As with March’s other gay historicals, the sex is a large proportion of the story. Unashamedly erotic, this is what erotica is all about – somehow, although it describes all the action, it never seems crude or over descriptive, you are given just enough to turn you on, and never too much to turn you off. An excellent balance, and the roleplay seems very realistic. I don’t know if men in Regency times ever did these things–although I can’t see any reason why not–but March’s descriptions are note perfect. I loved the ridges the corset leaves in Jasper’s skin, the descriptions of well-researched dildoes,the nightshirts and the ribbons. It summons images that are more than just arousing, they are beautiful.

You’ll probably need to like BDSM to like March’s books, and although I have to say that I don’t like BDSM in general – but March does manage to make me warm in places they set out to do, as well as having a decent storyline attached to them.

I spotted one tiny anachronism, and couple of typos, which stood out, but nothing worse, and your eye might skim them. Although I had to grin at a marble dildo being snuggly rather than snugly.

As for the characters: Jasper got on my nerves at one point as he kept prolonging the agony of separation, rather than making a swift cut which would have been more sensible, but he didn’t revert to uber-girliness thank goodness.

I would have liked some indication as to how he’d managed to turn himself into a facsimile of a gentleman – how he learned to read, how he changed his accent from common to cultured. I would liked to have seen Nate outside the brothel—particularly in the boxing club. It was a mighty different sport back then, as Nate’s injuries prove, and it would have been good to see a little of that.

The ending was all a little obvious—once Jasper had mentioned the village to where he was retiring to Nate—it struck me like a suicide who really wants to be found. He’d always be hoping that Nate would turn up, and that spoiled my belief that he wanted to break from Nate. It would have been harder for Nate to find him, in that case, but more proof that he wanted to find him. But the reconciliation was nicely done, no insta-love and throwing themselves into each others’ arms in a girly frenzy.

I think what annoyed me was that Nate—once he’d discovered that he wanted Jasper– just assumed that Jasper wanted him, and that was a little presumptuous, because really Jasper had never given him that impression—had been careful not to.

In fact when Nate—when trying to convince Jasper he’s serious says: “Have I ever shown myself to be fickle?” I had to laugh, because “YES, you did rather! You’ve been mooning over your best friend and then when Jasper takes a break your affections switch!” Jasper thinks that Nate has never been unfaithful, and that’s not strictly true because he’d been taking male whores while professing himself madly in love with his best friend. And even when Nate satisfies himself by telling Jasper that he loves him, he doesn’t care to inquire whether his feelings are reciprocated, that he loves Jasper is enough, apparently!

I’m being picky, though, partly, I suppose because instead of 124 pages, I would have liked 250 pages or more and that’s a good sign—when I want more, it means I really enjoyed it. This is the longest Ava March book so far, so I live in hope that one day I’ll have a paper made and full-sized novel by Ava March on my shelf. ...more

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Dec 20, 2010 Lee Brazil rated it it was amazing

Shelves: m-m

I think that a writer who makes everything seem so natural and easy is very hardworking and talented. This story is simple, logical, and emotionally involving. However, I'd like to know more about what happens with Nate and Jasper now that they are dealing with each other on somewhat equal footing. I sincerely hope there is a sequel. ...more

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